What is it about passion driven industries and the craftspeople who run them? It is wholesome and gritty, honest work. When we heard the Made Show was bringing custom bicycle fabricators from around the world to PDX this August, we had to check it out! We got a group of community members together for a chill sesh and went on a group ride to check out. Thanks to Biri by Grasse, we were able to smoke some really high-quality hash infused joints and share them with the builders.
It is remarkable what folks can do with metal, gas, and a spark. These bikes are cool, clean, and creative as fuck. Sklar was there representing the smooth lines and Sandwich Mag. Tonic Fab and No.22 were tied with the most remarkable booth designs. Tonic Fab had fabricated an epic plush letter T, not to mention all the hot bikes. No. 22 was a new builder to me, really clean lines, and paint. Their booth was a beautiful composition of an architectural material that sleekly accordioned around their footprint. Henrietta Watts Aero-Rando bike was by far the most fascinating, with a raw steel configuration that we’ve only seen in carbon fiber. Baphomet had some cool braze-on features and decorative elements.
Nothing prepared me to fall in love though. There it was, the Cerberus CXS by Destroy with the throwback triple threat triangle of a GT and a touch of gritty class by adding clearance for wider tires while still maintaining track specs.
I had a real, she will be mine, moment.
I went to the fabrication studio after the event to talk custom and process. Destroy is a cool studio tucked in the back corner of local cycling component machinist factory, Chris King. They share the studio with a couple other boutique fabricators. We were greeted by the lead welder, Tod, who also works at the factory. Tod is a rad dude who has stories. I always can appreciate someone who is genuinely engaged and interested in what they do and the world around them. Cool vibe all around.
We talked about the reasons for custom. Most folks will go with prefab frames, but utility features like braze-ons for racks and cages can be custom placements. Another reason for custom is fit. If you are taller or shorter than average or have mobility concerns, you may consider a custom geometry for the most comfortable ride. While I’m personally still deciding where to focus my next bike build, I dream of the Cerberus CXS every day.